surface tension

noun

the effect on the surface of a liquid that makes it behave as a stretched elastic membrane; it is caused by unbalanced intermolecular forces

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Meanings

nounsurface tension (countable and uncountable, plural surface tensions)

plural surface tensions

  1. countableuncountablenatural sciencesthe effect on the surface of a liquid that makes it behave as a stretched elastic membrane; it is caused by unbalanced intermolecular forces
  2. countableuncountablenatural sciencesa measure of this effect

Translations

Bulgarian повъ́рхностно напреже́ние, повъ́рхностно напреже́ние
  • повъ́рхностно напреже́ние (povắrhnostno naprežénie)the effect on the surface of a liquid
  • повъ́рхностно напреже́ние (povắrhnostno naprežénie)a measure of this effect
Chinese Mandarin 表面張力 /表面张力
  • 表面張力 /表面张力 (biǎomiànzhānglì)the effect on the surface of a liquid
Dutch oppervlaktespanning
  • oppervlaktespanningthe effect on the surface of a liquid
Finnish pintajännitys, pintajännitys
  • pintajännitysthe effect on the surface of a liquid
  • pintajännitysa measure of this effect
French tension superficielle
  • tension superficiellethe effect on the surface of a liquid
German Oberflächenspannung
  • Oberflächenspannungthe effect on the surface of a liquid
Hungarian felületi feszültség
  • felületi feszültségthe effect on the surface of a liquid
Japanese 表面張力
  • 表面張力 (hyōmenchōryoku)the effect on the surface of a liquid
Korean 표면장력
  • 표면장력 (pyomyeonjangnyeok)the effect on the surface of a liquid
Māori renarena mata
  • renarena matathe effect on the surface of a liquid
Norwegian Bokmål overflatespenning
  • overflatespenningthe effect on the surface of a liquid
Polish napięcie powierzchniowe
  • napięcie powierzchniowethe effect on the surface of a liquid
Portuguese tensão superficial
  • tensão superficialthe effect on the surface of a liquid
Romanian tensiune superficială
  • tensiune superficialăthe effect on the surface of a liquid
Russian пове́рхностное натяже́ние, пове́рхностное натяже́ние
  • пове́рхностное натяже́ние (povérxnostnoje natjažénije)the effect on the surface of a liquid
  • пове́рхностное натяже́ние (povérxnostnoje natjažénije)a measure of this effect
Spanish tensión superficial, tensión superficial
  • tensión superficialthe effect on the surface of a liquid
  • tensión superficiala measure of this effect
Swedish ytspänning, ytspänning
  • ytspänningthe effect on the surface of a liquid
  • ytspänninga measure of this effect
Tagalog dayaging igting
  • dayaging igtingthe effect on the surface of a liquid
Thai แรงตึงผิว
  • แรงตึงผิว (rɛɛng-dtʉng-pǐu)the effect on the surface of a liquid
Ukrainian поверхне́вий на́тяг
  • поверхне́вий на́тяг (poverxnévyj nátjah)the effect on the surface of a liquid
Vietnamese sức căng bề mặt, năng lượng bề mặt
  • sức căng bề mặtthe effect on the surface of a liquid
  • năng lượng bề mặtthe effect on the surface of a liquid
  • ứng suất bề mặtthe effect on the surface of a liquid
Welsh tyniant arwyneb
  • tyniant arwynebthe effect on the surface of a liquid
Cite this entry
APA

surface tension. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/surface%20tension

MLA

“surface tension.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/surface%20tension. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “surface tension,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/surface%20tension.

Source: surface tension on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.